News & Stories

Blanchard Church Forced to Sue City Over Church Property

August 1, 2005

Blanchard Church in Warrenville, Illinois, recently purchased property on which to construct a church, only to learn that the city has barred the congregation from building on the property. Consequently, the church filed suit today (8/1/05) in the U.S. District Court in Chicago asking the court to overturn the city’s zoning decision. 
     Ironically, while Warrenville will not allow the Blanchard Church property to be used as a place of worship, its zoning code permits the property to be used for other assembly purposes, including civic buildings, schools, and union halls. “When people come to church, they are gathering for a common purpose,” Pastor Skye Jethani said. “It makes little sense for Warrenville to say Teamsters can meet in our building to decide on union benefits, but people who want to assemble for worship and do good for the community cannot gather in the same place.” 
     Adding to this double standard is the fact that adjacent to the property is The Emmanuel Baptist Church—which indicates that the area is suitable for churches and that Warrenville is giving unequal treatment to Blanchard Church. 
     Several Warrenville residents are part of the suit. Jim Smith, former pastor of the church, said, “As a resident of Warrenville, I see the needs of the community and the active role houses of worship have played in our town. As a new church, we want to serve the people we rub elbows with everyday.” “We are not asking for special rights, just the right to exercise our freedom of religion under the Constitution,” said church staff member and city resident Kristen Mapstone.